Eligible universities must complete the online enrollment form. In 2009-2010, the deadline for enrollment was 5 September, 2009. Only enrolled universities may compete at the National Qualifying tournaments and registration is limited. Once an enrolled university has completed its Student Tryout Testing and selected its Zain Africa Challenge Scholars Team, the Coach or Liaison must register for the National Qualifying Tournment.

How are the university teams selected?

Each university conducts Student Tryout Tests. From those tests, 12-20 students are selected to be members of the Zain Africa Challenge Scholars Club. Club members will meet and practice together for 2-6 weeks. The coach will then select the university's Zain Africa Challenge Scholars Team. Team members are limited to one year of participation and must meet player eligibility requirements.

The deadline for Zain Africa Challenge Scholars Team selection and National Qualifying Tournament Registration for 2009-2010 was 28 October except for Nigeria for which the deadline was 15 December.

What is format of the Qualifying Tournament?

The format varies by country as follows:

Country

Date & Location

Maximum # of Teams

Tournament Format

Ghana

16 November
Accra

7

Double knockout tournament wherein each team competes until they have lost two matches. The top three teams from this tournament will advance to the International Championship Festival.

Kenya

12 November
Nairobi

19

Double knockout tournaments wherein each team competes until they have lost two matches. Each group of 8 teams or less will be a separate knockout tournament. The top four teams from this tournament will advance to the International Championship Festival.

Malawi

16 November
Lilongwe

5

Double knockout tournaments wherein each team competes until they have lost two matches. The top three teams will advance to the International Championship Festival.

Nigeria

6
January
Abuja

16

Double knockout tournaments wherein each team competes until they have lost two matches. Each group of 8 teams or less will be a separate knockout tournament. The top four teams from this tournament will advance to the International Championship Festival.

Sierra Leone

16 November
Freetown

2

Double knockout tournaments wherein teams representing the two universities compete until they have lost two matches. Both of the two universities will advance a team to the International Championship Festival.

Tanzania

12 November
Dar es Salaam

17

Double knockout tournaments wherein each team competes until they have lost two matches. Each group of 8 teams or less will be a separate knockout tournament. The top four teams from this tournament will advance to the International Championship Festival.

Uganda

12 November
Kampala

19

Double knockout tournaments wherein each team competes until they have lost two matches. Each group of 8 teams or less will be a separate knockout tournament. The top four teams from this tournament will advance to the International Championship Festival.

Zambia

16 November
Lusaka

6

Double knockout tournaments wherein each team competes until they have lost two matches. The top three teams will advance to the International Championship Festival.

How many universities may particpate?

Registration for the Qualifying Tournaments is open to all enrolled universities.

What expenses are covered?

Travel grants are provided to all teams attending a Regional Qualifying or National Qualifying Tournament. Most university teams will travel to their National Qualifying Tournament by vehicle. In such case, either: a) the university will be reimbursed for the pre-approved cost of the transport and meals en-route or b) a bus will be used to pick the teams for transport to the tournament site or c) where travel distances require a team to travel by airplane, Zain Africa Challenge (ZAC) will purchase the airline tickets.

ZAC provides hotel rooms for teams which must stay overnight in the National Qualifying Tournament city. A Travel Expense Policy Document will be supplied to the ZAC Liaison and Coach. Travel per diems are not paid; however meals during the day of the National Qualifying Tournament will be furnished.

What are the prizes?

Participants at the Qualifying Tournaments receive t-shirts, certificates of completion and a minimum of $100 per person in grants from Zain. The universities participating receive $1,000 grants from Zain.

The grants to the 32 universities attending the International Championship Festival along with their four players, the Coach and the Liaison receive grants from Zain based on their "finish" in the tournament:

Round 1 Qualifiers (16)

$5,000 to universities & $500 to participants

Round 2 Qualifiers (8)

$10,000 to universities & $1,000 to participants

Quarter-Finalists (4)

$15,000 to universities & $1,500 to participants

Semi-Finalists (2)

$25,000 to universities & $2,500 to participants

Runner-Up (1)

$35,000 to university & $3.500 to participants

Champion (1)

$50,000 to university & $5,000 to participants

Grants to the universities and participants are administered by the Zain representatives in each country:

University grants are designated for technology related purchases desired by the university which are then procured by Zain.

The first $1,000 in participant grants are paid by cash or cheque. Grants to participants above the $1,000 level are in the form of educational materials, supplies and extended learning (i.e.: laptop computers, Internet enabled mobile phone, study trips, etc.).